A Working America

Back around 1972, I took a vacation to Asia by myself. I spent a couple of weeks in Japan, a few days in Taiwan, and a few days in Hong Kong. One day, I was walking around downtown Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, and passed by a female who was lying on a piece of cardboard on the sidewalk begging for money. To this day, she is the most pitiful human being I have ever encountered. She was the size of a small child, badly deformed, and probably unable to walk. I couldn't tell if she was an adult or child. Judging from her face, I guessed she was probably a leper. My reaction, perhaps naively, was why wouldn't the government intervene and put this poor human being in some sort of facility where she could at least be fed, cared for and made to be comfortable.

Over 35 years later, I have not changed my view.

Yet, there is a definite limit on what I think the government, especially the US Government should do to help out its citizens. There are, without doubt, people out there who are physically and/or mentally unable to care for themselves through no fault of their own. In those cases, I feel government must provide a safety net to take care of these people.

However, when it comes to others who are physically able to take care of themselves, I feel differently. I don't feel it is the business of government, through the tax-payers, to nurse everybody in our country through life. (Admittedly, there is a big gray area when children of irresponsible people are concerned.) Unfortunately, we seem to have lost sight of that in the US..... (cont)

gary fouse
Irvine, ca
fousesquawk
http://garyfouse.blogspot.com